Home Economics Story, The (1951)

[Music] [Music] [Laughter] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] k probably can't remember the day or the date all she remembers is that she was sitting in the study hall alice was really going to town on her physics assignment and frick well he was busy with his regular routine it was just the usual sort of day or was it there's the bell for an assembly this one was for the girls only nothing too unusual about that kay found a seat her favorite right next the aisle today i'd like to tell you about several girls i know very well not too long ago these girls were wondering just as you are what they would do after completing high school let's start with evelyn who went on to college where she took a course in home economics now she's a tea room manager and thousands of people who eat out are her daily customers you might see her talking to the hostess and never guess she's really the boss behind the scene she's the one who makes the final check and adds that extra touch k thought she would like that sort of work she could see herself at the center of a world made up of large ovens and mixers manned by professional cooks gee what would mom think of a grocery list like this for anyone with training in institution management though it's just like planning the family dinner and this is joanne in high school she always helped decorate for the parties she liked it she still decorates gets good pay now for doing it an applied art major in home economics helped her develop this ability kay couldn't resist daydreaming herself into this kind of job folks would look to her to help them make a wise choice she would be asked to go out on appointments to help people plan lovelier homes the speaker told of other girls she knew real girls in real jobs good jobs interesting jobs well paid too and everyone had taken her training in home economics summit specialized in foods and nutrition others in education in textiles and clothing household equipment child development applied art institution management journalism home economics is all of this and more too for instance carol who is now mrs bill johnson took a general home economics course not one which would lead to professional employment but one which fitted her for that very important career of being mrs johnson kay's home would be like this there were many times she was glad that her college training had prepared her so well for home life many times she didn't even realize that she was using some of the knowledge she had gained and that her knowledge meant so much to her family as well as to herself it wasn't hard for alice to return to reality but as for k well making a dream come true often depends on a very little thing day after day she had passed by that little book but now it suddenly held the key to a wonderful future of course there were things she would have to do apply for admission study the courses and oh yes what would mom and dad say there was only one way to find out ask them this was important she realized that now even before they said anything you could tell that mom and dad knew that it was important too college 4k would mean sacrifices for mom and dad would it be worth the sacrifice [Music] so this was the important day in kaye's life and it was late at night when she finally recopied the letter for the last time she got a real thrill out of dropping that letter in the box [Music] waiting for a reply was harder everybody watched the mail and then it came [Music] you'd have thought k was leaving for college the next day [Music] so this is college later it will have a homie look now it was a bit bewildering wonder where the tennis courts are where would her room be who would be her friends wonder if she'd ever know her way around here wonder what her room would be like at first it looks bare and not very friendly but with new curtains and bed spread it doesn't take long to give it a homey feeling and a bit of college atmosphere as well before you know it it's time for the folks to leave in all her dreams about college k had never included the moment when dad and mom said goodbye when she would be on her own [Music] so [Music] it helped to have gene arrive just when she did they chatted like old friends what about well the usual things and while they were talking four girls k and gene helen and louise for the next four years they will see a lot of each other most of their experiences will be shared with each other that first stroll with its first impressions they stopped to the same places they looked at the same scenes they did the same things that many had done before here is college with its new friendships its old traditions by the end of freshman week they had begun to feel that this college was their very own [Music] [Applause] early october headed for an eight o'clock class in houmac hall just a part of the crowd the eight o'clock was a class in applied art it helped to build up a knowledge of the beauty of design and color surprising how everyone can make such interesting original designs and this study of design and color wasn't all theory jean and helen learned to apply it in their class on costume design and selection all the classes seem to fit together even the physics class was what a girl would like it was about physics in the home this course helped you to understand just what makes things run then in household equipment you could study the practical side the use of an appliance in turn there were courses in foods and nutrition where you also learn the why as well as the how college had its sports program too it was fun and a pleasant change in the regular routine of class work you didn't have to be good at first you learned quickly and soon you're out with your friends playing golf or tennis you were taking part in college shows some girls liked it so well they took extra courses to qualify themselves for jobs in physical education too [Music] playing or studying each day was filled filled with learning new skills filled with learning how to live a fuller life college had much to offer kaye and jean were sure of that by the time their freshman year was over [Music] sophomores same room same roommates same friends same things to talk about something new to talk about too i worked all summer and i've got a part-time job now too what's chemistry like well it's not as hard as i thought it was going to be it's different you have to get used to thinking in a new way but i sort of liked it and you know it applies in in such common ordinary things as making cream of tomato soup pour milk into the acid tomato and you're likely to have curdled tomato soup for the acid tomatoes slowly into cold milk and well you can see that cooking is practically applied chemistry whether it's a class in food preparation or a class in textiles and clothing applied chemistry is mighty important do you know what would happen if you used acetone on some rayons it's important to know how to take care of things just as it's important to know how to make them correctly in the first place and again in this house planning course the girls learn that science and art are not far apart the space in a house must be planned for many things for comfort for economy and for beauty [Music] saturday afternoon football time you were there with all the spirit you had for your high school team and maybe a little more college football on a sunny autumn afternoon you wouldn't have missed it for the world and afterwards you met the game [Music] later one evening after such an occasion the girls got together for their usual gab session for time they talked to the events of the day but then kay came up with that all-important question what are you going to major in helen oh you know me best cook to come out of foods 204 i'm going to take foods and nutrition really i am i want to be a dietitian wish i could make up my mind that easy what are you going to take gene texas and clothing i like to work with fabrics beautiful clothes and there are good jobs as buyers and department stores i'd like to go along with you but i don't know yet whether i want to work for a household appliance company or or where they're going with my artwork do you know what i'm going to do i'm going to teach kaye went to chat with her advisor she learned about a world of opportunities things she'd never thought of before teaching yes it was a big profession high school teaching nursery school work for those who like very small children and extension teaching with farm families would teaching be her career or would it be the business world with its glamorous commercial jobs would it be public service field perhaps a hospital dietiti with its look to the future yes there would be all sorts of interesting careers and best of all when you made a home of your own all that you would learn would be useful [Applause] college is a timeless period one year passes into another very quickly it's good to be back at the beginning of your junior year things seem pretty much the same but this is the year that you're ready to specialize in your chosen field helen learning to be a hospital dietitian must be able to plan and serve inviting meals plan them well enough to fit a doctor's orders and serve them attractively to pep up lagging appetites she'll also have the problem of feeding large numbers of people that calls for quantity cookery so you'll find her in classes in institution management louise who has her eye on a commercial career in household equipment is rapidly becoming a technician in her own field the technical comparisons which she is making now will enable her to give first-hand advice on the selection of home appliances her knowledge of efficient operation will be passed along too gene was just as busy in textiles and clothing the world of fabrics and of fashions will be hers perhaps you will be designing the clothing you see pictured in fashion magazines perhaps you'll be the person who has thought up the patterns you will buy at the store perhaps she will show you how you can create beautiful clothes for yourself or help you choose them at the store jane may even find another use for her talents by combining her knowledge of art and textiles she may follow a career in textile designing the days are filled with other interesting classes too you would expect to find k with her interest in teaching in a child development class but gene is there too to study children's clothing requirements well yes but more than that home economics means much more than a career it's a study of everything that makes up a home including those who live there the girls learn a lot from the children of the nursery school how habits and attitudes learned at this age are so important in later life they learn how much depends on getting along with others for after all we live in a world where people are more important than things [Music] yes college is a rich variety of experiences you tell mom and dad about the little events one little boy is just darling i really like that class and the big ones too tonight is the big prom i'm wearing my new formal [Music] good time that you had mingled with the memories of other good times [Music] you'll never forget them they were the glittering threads woven through the varied pattern of college life [Music] being a senior wasn't much different from being a junior student teaching was in line for k and gene was busier than ever in her advanced courses in textiles and clothing helen was deep in studies on food by manship getting her money's worth that is one of the many things she'll be doing next year in her job as a dietitian and louise wouldn't you know she'd be in a household equipment laboratory [Music] what is home economics is it the technical knowledge of the equipment in a home or the understanding of how to create beautiful clothes and more attractive homes is it the skill to prepare an attractive nourishing meal or the ability to teach others these many things yes home economics is all these and more too to put it another way each girl has been preparing for two careers one her chosen specialty the other is a career in homemaking and so as a special part of their training the senior girls actually share the management of a home first of all the girls met their advisor and decided how they were going to take turns at managing all the household tasks this was no make-believe situation with eight hungry persons to feed gene would have to draw on the knowledge she gained in basic courses in foods and in equipment as for planning an attractive meal and a pretty table that should be easy for a girl with special talent in color and design k2 would draw on her knowledge of household equipment and of textiles to take care of her turn in the laundry louise for a few days would have the most envied task in the house sooner or later everything and anything you would learn in your home economics courses would prove useful [Music] life in the home management house is very homey somehow you wish it would never end and some of the happenings you will never forget [Music] the five-pound party that beth had to announce her engagement [Applause] [Music] the days roll by and even before school is out you have a new topic of conversation getting your first job to the placement office well yes kay the teacher placement office tells me they're getting requests every day gina i think this job in a department store will be very interesting to you the letter has just come in telling us that you've been accepted for your hospital internship yes louise will be happy to accept the position graduation mom and dad were there of course they didn't say much but you knew they were pleased as punch dad made some remark about he sure had earned his diploma and you all laughed gene and louise were leaving at once for their jobs in the city so you all drove down to the train to see them all as you stood there on the platform wishing each other the very best of good fortune somehow the talk got around to that very first meeting and then you sensed that this was the end of one chapter in your life a chapter so fine that you hated to see the end a chapter you wouldn't have missed [Music] [Applause] you